6_Do you want to play games with your laptop? If so then please list the games that you want to with the settings that you want for these games. (Low,Medium or High)? No games more intensive than standard flash fare will likely be played.

8_How much storage (H.D.D Capacity) do you need? 250gb's should be plenty but the user certainly isn't opposed to more.

9_If you are considering specific sites to buy from, please post their links.I typically make my computer purchases through Newegg but this laptop isn't for me so wherever the best deal is would be best.

10_How long do you want to keep your laptop? At least 3 years, longer if possible.

11_What kind of Optical drive do you need? DVD ROM/Writer,Bluray ROM/Writer,Etc ? A standard dvd +/-rw should be plenty. A media card reader would be a welcome plus.

12_Please tell us about the brands that you prefer to buy from them and the brands that you don't like and explain the reasons.

Due to poor experiences with HP and a seemingly 50/50 shot of a satisfactory Dell I tend not to suggest those brands. Also, Gateways show up on quite a few "top laptop" lists but old (outdated?) prejudices prevent me from taking the company seriously. I know very little about Asus and Acer offerings beyond their price/performance benefits but ultimately I'm most concerned with longevity and stability.

I wanted to check out the Mobility Radeon 4100 graphics of that Satellite L505D and didnt exactly get what I wanted - to find out it was good with HD video decoding. No one seems sure if it has nearly the same ability as the HD 4200 for watching HD movies. Notebookcheck Satellite 5xx notes

The same model is $50 more @ NewEgg and $80 more @ ToshibaDirect for Satellite L500D-ST55X1 (next higher CPU and HD 4200 graphics).

6_Do you want to play games with your laptop? If so then please list the games that you want to with the settings that you want for these games. (Low,Medium or High)? No games more intensive than standard flash fare will likely be played.

8_How much storage (H.D.D Capacity) do you need? 250gb's should be plenty but the user certainly isn't opposed to more.

9_If you are considering specific sites to buy from, please post their links.I typically make my computer purchases through Newegg but this laptop isn't for me so wherever the best deal is would be best.

10_How long do you want to keep your laptop? At least 3 years, longer if possible.

11_What kind of Optical drive do you need? DVD ROM/Writer,Bluray ROM/Writer,Etc ? A standard dvd +/-rw should be plenty. A media card reader would be a welcome plus.

12_Please tell us about the brands that you prefer to buy from them and the brands that you don't like and explain the reasons.

Due to poor experiences with HP and a seemingly 50/50 shot of a satisfactory Dell I tend not to suggest those brands. Also, Gateways show up on quite a few "top laptop" lists but old (outdated?) prejudices prevent me from taking the company seriously. I know very little about Asus and Acer offerings beyond their price/performance benefits but ultimately I'm most concerned with longevity and stability.

I've lurked and leeched info from you wonderful people for years and am super grateful for your time and effort.

Hi there,

How necessary is the DVD drive? If it is not a big concern, you might like the Toshiba Satellite T135D-S1325WH. It is very slim and light-weight. It also has 4 GB RAM and 320 storage. The only spec not met with this Toshiba is the DVD drive.

WR2-Thanks for the link. I was surprised to see Asus in their but it really adds a lot of options for future purchases too.

Isabella- I think the dvd drive isn't a huge deal but might be missed. However, my friend's Mother just told me she was in the market for a laptop and wouldn't need a dvd drive at all. I'm 100% going to pass it on to her. Never would have found it on my own.